sexta-feira, 17 de julho de 2009

Why a firm wants staff with autism

A computer company in Denmark which has made huge strides in employing workers with autism is expecting to begin work in the UK soon.

Specialisterne was started by a Danish man whose own son has autism.

Thorkil Sonne now employs more than 40 people with autism.

He is finalising plans to set up a branch in Glasgow in the coming months.

He hopes to hire 50 workers in the first three years of operating in Scotland.

Autism affects about 1% of the population across Europe.

According to the National Autistic Society (NAS), people with the condition say a job is the one thing that would really improve their lives.

And yet a survey by Autism Europe shows 62% of adults with autism do not have any work at all.

Difficulties

I visited Specialisterne and met Soeren Ljunghan, 42.

He has a form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome.

It gives him focus and persistence - traits which have helped him become a champion weight-lifter.

But autistic people find social interaction and unpredictability difficult. Soeren endured a spell of unemployment.

He said: "It was a living hell.

"I kept going to job interviews but coming second and wondering why I wasn't chosen.

"It was very stressful. I began to question whether I would work again."

“ People come to me who've had difficulties in the labour market and got depressed. They're like computers that need re-booting ” Thorkil Sonne At Specialisterne, Soeren works 25 hours a week testing software.

He said: "I like the work because I know what to expect from each day."